There are many railways of the present and past I like, take interest in and am a fan of. However I need help answering a qustion I have been pondering about and am sure man of you are as well.What does it trully mean to be a fan of a railway/railroad? The only things that come to mind that have reason to be a fan of/take interest in are the company logos, marketing material like travel posts, the locomotives and rolling stock etc. But what about the negative aspects of the railways operations that are not looked over and iqnored, like the negative aspects of railroad life, how the employees where treated etc, over romantisation of working on the railroad all the live long day etc.
As far as your last paragraph is concerned, remember the classic line from Charles Dicken's "A Tale Of Two Cities..."
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."
The good old days weren't always good, but they weren't always bad either. While the old days of the railroads had their bad times, they also had glorious times of high adventure and nation building, rising new technologies, and the hope of something better down the line, over the hills, or in the future.
Some may want to concentrate on the gloom, I concentrate on the glory. And there was glory, which is what attracted me to railroad history when I got a little tired of military history and people killing people. I wanted to learn about something constructive for a change.
And even in these times when many have the opinion, myself included at times, that everything sucks, I guarantee you at some point in the future there will be those who will find our time absolutely fascinating.
"A time when giant snorting diesels roamed the earth, and mighty men bent them to their wills!"
Maybe?
Random_Idea_Poster_6263What does it trully mean to be a fan of a railway/railroad? The only things that come to mind that have reason to be a fan of/take interest in are the company logos, marketing material like travel posts, the locomotives and rolling stock etc.
I'm not so sure that one must have a preference for a particular brand.
Maybe 60 years ago back before the waves of consolidation and rationalization started, it might have made sense to have an allegiance. I probably had a preference for the line that ran nearest to my boyhood home.
But over the years as I have moved around the country, and learned the legacy of other railroads, I've learned to appreciate them all.
I'm into the "big noisy machine" aspect more so than any specific brand.
And if they happen to paint their bridges, I like them even more.
Sometimes it's also the locale. I like New England and Colorado railroads.
To be honest - trying to figure out what makes a "true fan" just leads to gatekeeping. Everyone has to find what they like about whatever they like.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
I like trains but, I don't like railroads. Now, I realize the former isn't possible without the latter but, after dealing with railroads for 40+ years in my day job, actually "liking" any of them would be more of a challenge than I can rise to.
Juniata ManI like trains but, I don't like railroads.
People have been there before!
Back in the late 19th Century during the "Robber Baron" era a lot of people, especially the Grangers, felt exactly the same way. They may have disliked or even hated the railroads, but they still loved the trains! The goings-on "down at the depot" was the best show in town, and it was free!
Regards - Steve
zugmann To be honest - trying to figure out what makes a "true fan" just leads to gatekeeping. Everyone has to find what they like about whatever they like.
This is how I see it, but really all life is the same. Hobbies, passions, pursuits, fears, loves, and resentments...alla-same, alla-same. We each define what motivates us about something.
It is no different than sports fans... of the 'WE won!', "THEY lost!" nature.
Yer all nutz!
Now, if'n we was speak'n of Steam Locomotives... That's different! Thems is sompthin to be a FANatic abouts.
Semper Vaporo
Pkgs.
I suppose it was the "Romantic" side of Railroads that really sucked me in. I was born in 1960. So i basically missed steam, but i was there for The Caboose.!
I might have been one of the few 10 year old boys that wanted to be a conductor WAY more than an engineer. I liked the duties they had, their relationship with the other caboose crew, the fact that they got off the train and moved around, and that they were in their own private rail car.
It seemed peaceful, to me, to ride back there at the end of the train.... maybe look out the window at all the different sceneries that passed by. But then Electricity/Technology made the caboose obsolete, and that meant most of the crew were obsolete as well. Imagine being replaced by a flashing red light and a few thousand dollars of computer parts :-(
If you haven't done so already Kenny find yourself a copy of William Knapke's "The Railroad Caboose." Trust me, you'll love it!
Flintlock76 If you haven't done so already Kenny find yourself a copy of William Knapke's "The Railroad Caboose." Trust me, you'll love it!
Yes.!
I read that....fabulos... right up my alley.
We recently moved from USA CA 94585 to 95624.
The Western Railway Museum (rio vista junction) was right down Hwy 12 from us.
I donated all of my railroad books and DVD to them.
kenny dorham It seemed peaceful, to me, to ride back there at the end of the train.... maybe look out the window at all the different sceneries that passed by.
It seemed peaceful, to me, to ride back there at the end of the train.... maybe look out the window at all the different sceneries that passed by.
A lot of trainmen have been injured or killed from slack action while riding a caboose.
The highest compliment I've received as an engineer was from an old head conductor, now retired. He said he wouldn't be afraid of riding the waycar on a train I was running.
Jeff
jeffhergert kenny dorham It seemed peaceful, to me, to ride back there at the end of the train.... maybe look out the window at all the different sceneries that passed by. A lot of trainmen have been injured or killed from slack action while riding a caboose. The highest compliment I've received as an engineer was from an old head conductor, now retired. He said he wouldn't be afraid of riding the waycar on a train I was running. Jeff
My rides in a caboose were anything but calm and peaceful - the differences between welded rail and stick rail were manifestly evident - slack action could knock you out of a seat, let alone what it would do if one was standing. As Jeff has stated there were a high number of injuries to inhabitants of the caboose - and those injuries were happening on much shorter trains with much less slack than are being operated today.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
I suppose a lot goes to the associations you've had with railroads. The C&O ran through the town where I lived in MI. My later learning about the line brings me an affection for the Pere Marquette. That all leads to favoring CSX.
My current residence is in New York Central territory, and I volunteer on a railroad that runs on the former NYC Adirondack Division. So the Central gains my favor as well.
Partly as the result of a gift years ago of a Berkshire, I favor them as well, and the railroads that ran 2-8-4's. I have pictures of myself standing alongside a number of them.
There's lot of reasons.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
One of my aincent relatives was a apprentice carpenter and got a 'badge' for participating in the parade in honor of the 'Laying of the First Stone' of the B&O on July 4, 1828. My Grandfather hired out on the B&O in 1910 and retired in 1957, my Father hired out in 1937 and retired in 1972, I hired out in 1965 and retired in 2016. I guess I have an affinity for the B&O and it successors. My house is about 1/2 from the B&O's Old Main Line - while I can see trains on the OML I hear them blowing for two road crossings that are a little over on mile apart and are additionally separated by a several hundred foot long tunnel.
What 'makes' a rail fan? It has [must be?] to be an accident of circumstances???
I grew up in memphis, arguably, a railroad town? As a child, my friends and I would go over and watch the trains on the IC's east bypass line( back then, lots of steam! Middle school, we lived in Tulsa, my best friend's home, backed the Midland Valley. lotsw of stories there. Back to Memphis for H.S. & College- driver's liscense; got to know many railroaders, bridge tenders [SL-SF] best friend whose uncle was retired, Super of Terminals { entre to many at the local yards } '61 out of HS and into USMC ' and a trip to R.V.N.- lots of railroad stuff, mostly, shot to perdition ] Back home, married, home backed L&N (nee:NC&StL). Yep! circumstances!
During 25 years in Trucking; I was a professional tourist... Got to see variously, 4472(Flying Scotsman) in Alabama and Calif, 610/1217 in Ala, and 610 in Tx, 4501, on Saluda, and in Tn.Miss, 611 in N.C. And a lot more railroading around the country. For sure, it was those cirumstances! AND All along there was Kalmbach pubs to keep me company.
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